[Overtonwindow]

Very stereotypical aggressive police behavior. The “warrior cop” hero syndrome. This is utterly and disgustingly not surprising. From civil forfeiture to qualified immunity, the police have slowly become just as dangerous to innocent citizens as the criminals. No one will lose their job for this. No one will be held responsible. That alone is the worst crime.

[paulpauper]

That is part of the deterrent factor, even if it does seem excessive. If the police in the U.S. were like the Japanese, Finnish, or French police, it's reasonable to assume crime would go up.

[alphabettsy]

Maybe crime is actually higher because of low trust and general ineptitude and ineffectiveness. The police in many many places in the US have a local reputation of being useless. That can’t be much of a deterrent.

[AStonesThrow]

You may think that. But what about the escalation factor instead?

As LEAs have become increasingly militarized, so has their opposition. Look back into the Prohibition era and the weaponry that organized crime needed for their operations. The criminals will only match the opposition in the arms race, and then the LEAs will obtain funding and resources to increase their so-called "deterrent factor", which winds up in catastrophes like Ruby Ridge, Branch Davidians, SWATting, and school shootings.

Perhaps crime doesn't go up in Finland or Japan because the LEAs have not felt the need to militarize and escalate at every turn. (I mean, Japan got their entire military confiscated in 1945, so they should know about escalations!)

[dave4420]

Only if they’re competent.

These guys don’t sound competent.